White Gold , A Slave Nation For Our Cotton?

Environmental Jus�ce Founda�on in partnership with the Uzbek-German Forum for Human Rights “When“When youyou paypay thethe equivalentequivalent ofof twotwo matchboxesmatchboxes forfor aa kilogramkilogram ofof highhigh qualityquality co�on,co�on, it’sit’s easiereasier toto bendbend thethe backsbacks andand willswills ofof schoolchildrenschoolchildren andand

studentsstudents toto gogo intointo thethe fields.”fields.” ParentParent ofof schoolchildschoolchild forcedforced toto harvest co�on harvest co�on, Karakalpakstan1 Karakalpakstan20091 2009

WELCOME INTRODUCTION

Since 2004, the Environmental Jus�ce Founda�on Co�on produc�on in Uzbekistan is one of the most (EJF) has documented and exposed the use of exploita�ve enterprises in the world. forced labour and environmental damage in Uzbekistan - the world’s 6th largest producer of co�on co�on produc�on in the Central Asian Republic - is unique for the scale of the state-sponsored, forced of Uzbekistan. Over the past 6 years, we have mobilisa�on of schoolchildren during the annual co�on produced 3 campaign reports and ‘White Gold’, harvest. Child labour is not the result of poverty or family an award-winning film, and we have led an need. It is at the behest of and directly benefits one of the interna�onal coali�on, which now comprises world’s most corrupt and repressive regimes, which makes interna�onal NGOs, labour unions and interna�onal an es�mated US$1 billion [£622 million] from the annual retailers and clothing brands. sale of 1 million tonnes of co�on.

EJF works with the Uzbek-German Forum for Two years a�er the Government signed two Interna�onal Human Rights (UGF), which has documented the Labour Organisa�on (ILO) (Conven�ons in an a�empt to issue in Uzbekistan for the past 3 years and whose curtail interna�onal cri�cism) the 2010 co�on harvest was informa�on and visual images have been invaluable again marked by state-sponsored, child and adult forced contribu�ons to this briefing and exhibi�on. The labour. work of UGF, human rights ac�vists and NGOs, together with independent journalists is essen�al Over the past 3 years, a number of major interna�onal in documen�ng and exposing abuses linked to retailers and clothing brands including Tesco, Walmart- co�on produc�on, and suppor�ng human rights in Asda, Marks and Spencer, Gap, Levis and C & A have Uzbekistan. pledged to avoid the use of Uzbek co�on in their supply chains. As the 2010 co�on harvest reaches its end, the photo exhibi�on on display in the Upper Wai�ng Such laudable voluntary ini�a�ves from the private sector Hall together with this event serve as a reminder of have not been matched by ac�on at a policy level in the problems inherent in Uzbek co�on produc�on Europe, a major end-point for Uzbek co�on. – the misuse of natural water resources that have contributed to the draining of the Aral Sea, and the This event aims to promote long-term solu�ons to forced ongoing use of forced child and adult labour in the labour and environmental damage and support for annual co�on harvest. workable, durable and effec�ve policy solu�ons.

EJF, UGF and our interna�onal partners con�nue to press for the interna�onal community to support efforts that will help secure poverty “Cotton is politics. To be reduc�on, respect for fundamental human rights, environmental protec�on and sustainable rural against cotton is to be development in Uzbekistan. We hope that you will join with us in this endeavour. against the state”. Teacher, , 2009. A SUMMARY OF MODERN�DAY SLAVERY

With a dearth of mechanised harvesters, and inability to pay a decent living wage to adult farm labourers, children, students and adults from across Uzbekistan’s co�on-growing regions make up the labour shor�all, and are systema�cally dra�ed in by government agencies to handpick the annual co�on harvest.

• Es�mates suggests as many as 2 million children as young as 10 or 11 years old witness their schools closed for 2-3 months each year whilst they are taken to the co�on fields.

• Co�on picking is arduous labour, with each child given a daily quota of many kilos that they must pick. They can face threats, bullying or physical abuse if they refuse or fail to pick their quota.

• Children may be compelled to work and live in difficult condi�ons, drinking from irriga�on pipes and provided with inadequate food and accommoda�on. The harvest begins in late summer when temperatures are high, and con�nues un�l the onset of the Uzbek winter.

• Children receive li�le or no pay for their labour – many are reported to end the harvest in debt, once deduc�ons for their transport to the field and food provided are taken into account. Children are promised 100 soms (£0.04) per kilo of harvested seed cotton - yet the world price for cotton fibre is now an average of £1.55 per kilo6.

By law, Uzbekistan’s farmers must sell their co�on to the WHY FORCED LABOUR? state-controlled company (Uzkhlopkoprom) that operates all of Uzbekistan’s co�on gins. The price paid by the “Co�on is poli�cs, do not joke with it2.” government is about one-third of the interna�onal market price, but many farmers receive even less - as li�le as one- “If they pay good money for the labour, there won’t be any tenth the global price - because their high-grade co�on need to bother school teachers or military. If the payment o�en is judged as “low grade”. is good, even those who are in Russia will come back and pick their co�on3”. Uzbekistan’s government owns 51 percent of Uzkhlopkoprom. Informa�on has never been publicly “If the farmers pay 200 soms instead of 100 per kilo, released regarding who owns the remaining 49 percent of everyone will go and pick co�on. But the farmers cannot the state co�on monopoly - reports suggest the privately afford that, because the cost of the co�on is priced [by the held shares are controlled by President Karimov’s poli�cal state]4” allies and their rela�ves7. “The price of co�on is defined at the beginning of every year [by the state]. The wages paid for picking co�on are set [by the state] just before the harvest begins. That’s it. What happens on the interna�onal market doesn’t ma�er LAW BREAKING to farmers. No one will pay [the farmers] extra if the price In addi�on to domes�c legisla�on and commitments, of co�on goes up. If the interna�onal market price rises, [it the Government of Uzbekistan has signed and ra�fied is the officials who] reap all the benefits.5“ a number of ILO Conven�ons including the Forced Children are promised 100 soms (£0.04) per kilo of Labour Conven�on No. 29; Minimum Age Conven�on harvested seed co�on - yet the world price for co�on fibre No. 138 (ra�fied by Uzbekistan 2009); and Worst is now an average of £1.55 per kilo6. Forms of Child Labour Conven�on No 182 (ra�fied by Uzbekistan 2008). SEPTEMBER OCTOBER

Chronicle of a Cotton Harvest 2010

“This is a waste of �me, the children are taken away from school, they have to fumble in the dust and dirt, exhausted Forced Child Labour from the whole day in order to pick no more than ten kilograms.”

SEPTEMBER region OCTOBER Surkhandarya The authori�es sent fi�h grade (11 year “I went to Ol�nsoy district yesterday. 4th to 27 old) students to the co�on fields a�er 02 9th grades [10-15 years] are all in the co�on MONDAY school. Older children started working in the SATURDAY fields. They go in the morning and come back fields as early as mid September. Children in the evening. Medical personnel are also were accompanied by teachers and school sent to pick co�on.8” administrators. To get to the fields selected for them, children had to walk for about two kilometers. OCTOBER Yukori-Chirchik district, Children are sent to school at 8:30am. But “At the mee�ngs we had an announcement in the students’ school bags there is no about the district governor’s order that all 04 MONDAY textbook or notebook, but a water bo�le will work in the fields. School principals must and food. Having come to school with a find their own farmers to nego�ate with grand entrance, the children immediately about the harves�ng by schoolchildren, as leave it from the other side, and are sent to well as take on transporta�on costs”. work in the fields.9 “At the field students will gather co�on for one or even two days. This is a waste of �me, Primary schoolchildren of the 4th and 5th the children are taken away from school, OCTOBER grade [10 -11 years] were taken to pick they have to fumble in the dust and dirt, co�on and will not return to studies any�me exhausted from the whole day in order to 12 soon un�l the planned quota for the Angor pick no more than ten kilograms.” TUESDAY district is fulfilled.10 NOVEMBER DECEMBER JANUARY

Chronicle of a Cotton Harvest 2010 Harvest’s End?

OCTOBER Elena Urlaeva, head of the Uzbekistan Human OCTOBER Two weeks have passed since the annual co�on Rights Defenders’ Alliance reports that quota of Uzbekistan was fulfilled. However, 13 young children are picking co�on in , 29 schoolchildren are forced to remain in the fields, WEDNESDAY Ferghana and Tashkent regions. “We have FRIDAY even though there is no co�on le� and the a lot of informa�on. I just came back from weather is now much cooler. “I haven’t permi�ed the Andijan region where I have been to the her to go to the co�on fields, but today they Markhamat and Pakhtaobod districts. I saw called her saying that class has started. When that schoolchildren are working in very bad she went there, they told her to go pick co�on. So condi�ons in the fields”11. “Schoolchildren of she came back, changed her clothes and le� to all provinces in Uzbekistan have been in the pick co�on”, says the father of the 9th grade [15 fields since the 12th and 13th of September. years] schoolchild15. Classes have been stopped. Mainly 7th through 9th graders [13 – 15 years] and college students are involved in harves�ng. I saw it myself and NOVEMBER Khorezm 12 took photos” . The director of school number 42 in 01 district, made 4th grade [10 years old] MONDAY schoolchildren to pick one kilo of co�on per day OCTOBER While some districts have to some extent and the higher grades to find 5 kilos a day. stopped using elementary school children th to pick co�on, they are now sending 14-15 “The co�on season has ended for 4 grade 14 schoolchildren. But s�ll the school authori�es THURSDAY year olds into the fields. In other districts the use of even the youngest children remains are demanding a kilo per day from each child. unchanged13. Children are wandering around the fields trying to find co�on that is not there. They cry and say that they don’t want to go to school, because the teachers would demand co�on from them.”

NOVEMBER , Surkhandarya The co�on season officially ended on 1st 01 November, but has restarted unofficially for the MONDAY schoolchildren: “The school was opened today. The teachers shouted at children asking why they came in new uniforms when they were asked to come in their old clothes so they could go to pick 14 co�on in the fields. The teachers all have to find One Child’s Harvest 500 kilos of co�on or else pay 50,000 soms [£19]. Q: What is the daily target for you? If they don’t do that, they will all be sacked.” A: 25kg per day. They take us to a place where there is “Denov district’s quota was 41 tons of co�on. no co�on. Every day we go to the same place. They filled it, and then they were given extra 10 Q: For how long have you been picking co�on? tons to fulfill. They filled that too. I think it has A: 10 days. all only been fulfilled on paper and now they [the Q: When do you go and return? local authori�es] want them to do it for real. A: We go in the morning and return in the evening. Now neither teachers nor children will be able to Q: Is it far where you go? rest during the day or at night un�l they finish 16 A: It’s a bit far, they take us on a tractor and we return the season” . on foot. In Denov village there is only one school, Q: Do you eat food in the field? number 26 and all the pupils are s�ll working in A: No, they don’t give us any food. They only give us the fields. It is unknown when they will return. boiled water. Villagers lament that there is s�ll a lot of co�on Q: Do they take you to pick co�on every year? in the fields and children will only be brought A: Yes. back when all the co�on has been harvested and the rainy season begins17. Not Only Children

“Co�on harvest is like a military situa�on at the moment... They even stop mini buses on the roads and empty them from commuters and force the drivers to take the co�on growers to the fields.”18

SEPTEMBER Djizzak “Co�on is like the frontline! Since it is a front, 30 there is no �me for the market. Everyone THURSDAY should be in the fields. We should help with harves�ng the na�onal wealth”19.

OCTOBER Surkhandarya 19 year old Inom Yuldoshev, a soldier of the 1903 ba�alion, who failed to meet 02 OCTOBER Sukhandarya SATURDAY his daily co�on target, was clubbed by his Women who come to get their maternity commander, and died at the scene. A�er that, pay or food ra�on of flour and oil are told to the commander hung the soldier from one of 12 TUESDAY either pick 10 kg of co�on or pay 1000 soms the trees nearby with the help of others, so (£0.40) – failure to do so means they don’t that it would look like he commi�ed suicide. receive their groceries or maternity pay24. The farm is currently under the control of the Republic’s Military Prosecutor’s office personnel. Human rights society “Ezgulik” has not been given any access to the medical OCTOBER Andijan Region inves�ga�ons conclusions nor are they able to The 10-day call-up of people to pick co�on study the case20. 13 has begun. The authori�es have �ghtened WEDNESDAY the rules for exemp�ng people from picking co�on. Not even the sick or the old are OCTOBER “The co�on propaganda is very strong now. spared. Some university students are paying Even the football team “Nasaf” is in the up to $300 [£180] in bribes to avoid the co�on fields. Everyone is in the fields. Mainly co�on campaign. “I was told yesterday that 05 I have to go to pick co�on for 10 days,” a TUESDAY the medics and teachers were taken in the first place, then the military. All the workers middle-aged nurse said. “When I said that I have been sent to pick co�on. All shops are cannot endure that long in the co�on field for closed. Even the traffic has been stopped, the health grounds, the chief doctor told me that I traffic police blocked the roads. Higher grade would have to resign.”25 school children are all in the fields. In the Mosques have been enlisted to persuade mornings no vehicles are allowed, they stop people to pick co�on: a�er morning prayer, the drivers and make them pick co�on. They the Imams, using the same loudspeakers that ask them to pick 5-10 kg co�on”21. call people to prayer, urge everyone to help in the harvest26. “Dear friends, people of our town, we call on all of you to contribute to the OCTOBER Djizzakh harvest of our na�onal wealth, co�on. 120 Now it is the mourners and wedding guests soms (£0.04) per kg is paid. If you pick co�on 08 who must pick co�on...“They are taking those today, you can get your cash tomorrow”, SATURDAY who are going to weddings or funerals in the says the speaker through the loudspeaker. cars to Arnasoy or Gagarin district co�on “Don’t waste your �me in the streets, go fields. I have witnessed such occasions myself. and pick co�on or else we will announce the Yesterday I talked with the best men of the names of those who are not going to pick grooms. They said that they weren’t allowed co�on publicly over the loudspeaker. Blame to enter Djizzakh city and were told to come yourselves if that happens” back a�er 5 pm and that all the roads were closed and people were in the fields”22. The hokimiyat in Djizakh region - on the wedding OCTOBER “4500 policemen from Surkhandarya were day or shortly before it - orders the bride sent to Djizzakh to pick 40 kg per day”27. and groom and all their guests need to each collect 10 kg of co�on and hand it over to the 15 nearest procurement point.23 FRIDAY Recommendations

EJF calls upon the UK Government to undertake steps • Ensure that the UK Government and in-country that will bring effec�ve benefits to the Uzbek people, government staff and officials are aware of the issue including: and raise concerns directly with the Uzbek Government in bilateral dialogue, and seek to support long-term • U�lise poten�al leverage within the Interna�onal solu�ons to the problem. Financial Ins�tu�ons including World Bank, IMF and European Bank for Reconstruc�on and Development, • Press for the European Union to remove the Generalised together with the OECD to a) press for greater System of Preferences (GSP) import tariff privileges transparency in the revenue streams derived from the which Uzbekistan’s co�on exports to the EU benefit sale and export of Uzbek co�on; and b) to ensure that from. overseas aid and investment do not support further inequity and abuses in co�on produc�on, to the • Take a lead role within the Interna�onal Labour detriment of children, their educa�on and long-term Conference 2011 to ensure Uzbekistan’s compliance rural and na�onal development objec�ves. with Conven�on commitments.

• Review UK public procurement supply chains to ensure • Encourage the Government of Uzbekistan to undertake that uniforms and co�on products for the military, systemic reform of the way in which co�on is produced emergency and na�onal health services, together with and traded, including revoca�on of produc�on quotas bank notes do not contain Uzbek co�on fibre un�l such and liberalisa�on of the trading agencies. Swi� moves �me as forced labour is shown to have been eradicated. towards greater liberalisa�on and market reforms should be encouraged in order to promote sustainable, • Support efforts in bilateral dialogue between the EU more equitable rural development. and Uzbekistan to raise the issue of forced labour in the co�on industry, and with it, to drive greater support For more informa�on on EJF’s co�on campaign, or to for Uzbek human rights and independent journalists request reports or film, please contact Julie�e Williams at working to document and expose abuses. info@ejfounda�on.org Protecting People and Planet

1 Amwell Street, London, EC1R 1UL, UK Tel: +44 (0)207 239 3310 Fax: +44 (0)207 713 6501 email: [email protected] The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) works internationally www.ejfoundation.org to protect the natural environment and human rights. EJF is a registered charity No. 1088128 Our campaigns include action to resolve abuses and create ethical practice and environmental sustainability in cotton production, shrimp farming & fisheries. We work to stop the devastating impacts of illegal fishing operators, prevent the use of unnecessary and dangerous pesticides and to secure vital international support for climate refugees. EJF has provided training, equipment, support and know-how to grassroots campaigners in Sierra Leone, Cambodia, Vietnam, India, Uzbek-German Forum for Human Rights Mali, Guatemala, Indonesia and Brazil, helping them stop the Tel: +49 (0)17687532684 exploitation of their natural environment. email: [email protected]

1 Ferghana.Ru, 19/10/09 Uzbekistan News from the Fields www.ferghana.ru/ar�cle. 14 Ozodlik, 24.09.2010 h�p://www.ozodlik.org/content/ar�cle/2167427.html php?id=6340 15 BBC, 29.10.2010 op cit 2 BBC, 30.09.2010 h�p://www.bbc.co.uk/uzbek/central_asia/2010/09/100930_uzbek_ 16 Radio Liberty, ‘Free Microphone’ programme November 2010 co�on_fooc.shtml 17 Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan, 30.10.2010 h�p://groups.yahoo.com/group/HR- 3 BBC, 30.09.2010 op cit Uzbekistan/messages 4 BBC, 29.10.2010 h�p://www.bbc.co.uk/uzbek/uzbekistan/2010/10/101029_cy_co�on_ 18 Ozodlik, 28.09.2010 h�p://www.ozodlik.org/content/ar�cle/2170750.html child_labor.shtml 19 Ozodlik, 01.10.2010 h�p://www.ozodlik.org/content/ar�cle/2173714.html 5 Former Co�on Farmer interviewed in October 2010. 20 Ezgulik” Uzbek human rights society, press release dated 01.11.2010 www.ezgulik.org 6 Ferghana.ru, 28.09.2010 h�p://www.ferghana.ru/ar�cle.php?id=6743 21 Ozodlik, 05.10.2010 h�p://www.ozodlik.org/content/ar�cle/2177351.html 7 Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty, 27.10.2010 h�p://www.rferl.org/content/For_ 22 BBC 20.10.2010 op cit Exploited_Uzbek_Farmers_High_Co�on_Prices_Only_Enrich_Overlords/2202878.html 23 Uznews.net, 04.2010.2010 h�p://www.uznews.net/news_single.php?lng=ru&sub=usua 8 Ozodlik, 02.10.2010 h�p://www.ozodlik.org/content/ar�cle/2174516.html l&cid=2&nid=15000 9 h�p://www.uznews.net/news_single.php?lng=ru&sub=hot&cid=2&nid=15034 24 h�p://www.ozodlik.org/content/ar�cle/2188520.html 10 h�p://www.ozodlik.org/content/ar�cle/2188520.html 25 h�p://www.uznews.net/news_single.php?lng=en&sub=hot&cid=2&nid=15178 11 h�p://www.ozodlik.org/content/ar�cle/2189590.html 26 EURASIANET.org, 14.10.10 h�p://www.eurasianet.org/node/62146 12 Ozodlik, 07.201.2010 h�p://www.ozodlik.org/content/ar�cle/2183806.html 27 Radio Liberty (date unknown), referenced by UGF chronicle of forced labour, 13 EURASIANET.org, 14.10.10 h�p://www.eurasianet.org/node/62146 15/10/2010